E.F.K.A.S.

E.F.K.A.S.
There are a number of strange regions in the World, but very few of them can compare to E.F.K.A.S., the Empire Formerly Known as Shu.  Located on the continent of Orric, EFKAS was once a great power. Over time, however, the country's leadership, a traditional monarchy, became corrupt and inbred, producing a number of shockingly mad Emperors and Empresses. Not even the Droyish Empire, on Hezeq, produced as many mad royals as the Empire Formerly Known as Shu.  That madness reached its apex centuries ago when Emperor Tenic VI decared war upon Astropolis and attacked the floating city with ancient ray projectors.  Astropolis responded by redirecting the ray barrage back at Shu.  The entire country was decimated in less than three hours.
Most of the surviving commoners abandoned Shu.  Within a month, the land was almost empty.  Into this void, strode a distaff branch of the royal family. They assumed power and began the lengthy reconstruction of the capital city, Lacada.
Today, Lacada is the single populated area in the region.  The city has a population of approximately 13,000 people. Most are employed, in some fashion or another, by the ruling family. 

The current ruler of the Empire Formerly Known as Shu, is Her Divine Majesty, Xillian the First. No one is quite certain if Empress Xillian is mad, brilliant or, most likely, a bit of both.  Some of her royal decrees are definitely odd, such as the one making possession of a timepiece of any sort a death penalty offense.  Others seem to be merely eccentric, such as requiring every citizen to wear purple on the second day of the month.
It is Xillian who has ordered the country's name officially changed from Shu, to the Empire Formerly Known as Shu.  She has also ordered the ancient ray projectors be repaired, if possible, and begun to actively recruit arcanists to the imperial army.
These last two commands have attracted the attention of neighboring states as well as the Intelligence of Astropolis. They remain uncertain if her peculiar orders are some sort of smoke screen, to hide a darker purpose, such as war. 
Adventurers and explorers are generally welcome in E.F.K.A.S. The region around Lacada is littered with ruins and peculiar artefacts.  One of Xillian's more unusual orders was to turn her country into a dumping ground for the rest of Orric.  All sorts of odd things have made their way to E.F.K.A.S. Most are harmless, but some are useful and a few could be quite dangerous in the right hands.
Travelers with business in E.F.K.A.S. are advised not to linger. Ignorance of the local laws is no protection and trespassers may find themselves punished severely for breaking some strange, local taboo. Punishments tend to be bizarre and disproportionate, such as execution for wearing a watch to being forced to wear stripes and plaids if you kill someone in the middle of the week.
A popular saying in the surrounding regions is, "You don't need to be mad to live in E.F.K.A.S., but it certainly doesn't hurt."